I live in NZ and have been suffering from ME for 15 years (I am now 32) I have just had my 23andme results come through. and my Australian doctor suggested I try GABA to start the process , which would hopefully enable me to come off my long term medication: Amitriptyline, Gabapentin, Klonopin (only 0.5mg).

However I have just found out GABA is an banned / illegal drug in NZ (apparently it's just us and Sweden that prohibit it!) So I can't get it.

I read an article a couple of months ago that said that plant oils that contain terps are agonists to the GABA receptors, but I can't find it right now. I don't know if you would have to actually eat peppermint or maybe eat cough drops with eucalyptus oil. I have an Olba's natural inhaler that contains oils of peppermint, cajeput, and eucalyptus. If I can find the article I'll post the link.

You could also do theanine, which I did for many years, and it worked well, but I heard something recently about it having some kind of hormonal effect which might not be good.

It may also be helpful to eliminate MSG and glutamates in foods. Since they're everywhere under hidden names, to keep it simple, I suggest not eating any processed food, sauces or spices, and to avoid the four foods with a lot of natural glutamate - peas, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and mushrooms.

If you are looking to normalize the glutamate and GABA balance in the brain, GABA supplements don't really work anyway, as GABA does not cross the blood brain barrier.

So that makes GABA not only pointless to use as a GABA activator, but also pointless to ban as well, as far as I can see.

I'd suggest trying to block NMDA receptors (glutamate receptors) rather than activate the GABA receptors, as this will have the same effect on the glutamate — GABA balance. Transdermal magnesium oil is a good NMDA blocker. Taurine is also useful, as heapsreal mentioned, as it works both as a GABA booster and NMDA blocker.

If you are looking to normalize the glutamate and GABA balance in the brain, GABA supplements don't really work anyway, as GABA does not cross the blood brain barrier.

So that makes GABA not only pointless to use as a GABA activator, but also pointless to ban as well, as far as I can see.

I'd suggest trying to block NMDA receptors (glutamate receptors) rather than activate the GABA receptors, as this will have the same effect on the glutamate — GABA balance. Transdermal magnesium oil is a good NMDA blocker. Taurine is also useful, as heapsreal mentioned, as it works both as a GABA booster and NMDA blocker.

Click to expand...

I know they say taking gaba won't work because it doesn't cross the bbb, but I know someone who took it for depression after her 4th brain surgery, and she said it worked, and very quickly at that.

I bought 300 grams of GABA in bulk powder, and took high doses of it, but it made not one iota of difference to the anxiety symptoms I was suffering with at the time.

It's possible that GABA may have effects within the body that are beneficial, though.

Incidentally, one effective way to get GABA into the brain is by taking the supplement picamilon, which consists of a GABA molecule bonded to a niacin molecule. This combination is able to cross the BBB, and once the brain, it breaks down into GABA and niacin.

As picamilon is a different chemical to GABA, you should be able to buy it New Zealand.

I found picamilon reasonably effective in treating my anxiety symptoms.

It says on this webpage that picamilon is a very effective vasodilator (it improves brain blood flow). So that may be generally be useful in ME/CFS, where brain blood flow is poor.

Note: if you want to try picamilon, I suggest you buy it in bulk power form, as it is much cheaper that way.

I was just reading in Dr Datis Kharrazian's brain book that GABA as taken in supplement form is too big of a molecule to cross the BBB. So if it does cross (i.e. you can feel it working), that is evidence of an impaired BBB right there. I thought that was an interesting way to test the integrity of the BBB.

Click to expand...

So if GABA works for you, it indicates you have a leaky or impaired blood-brain barrier.

How do you know if your blood-brain barrier is leaky? A simple and easy way to find out is to do Blood-Brain Barrier Challenge. To do this, simply take 1000 mg of straight GABA (not GABA precursors such as theanine).

GABA is a neurotransmitter synthesized in the brain and is responsible for calming or inhibiting over activity. Although some companies sell GABA supplements, the reality is the GABA molecule is too large to pass through an intact blood-brain barrier. The fact that this supplement sells so well is a testament to the integrity of the average American’s blood-brain barrier.

So, if several hours after taking 1000 mg of GABA, you feel calm, relaxed or sleepy, you know that GABA, a molecule too large to pass through the blood-brain barrier, has nevertheless made it into your brain and is performing its calming duties. This means your blood-brain barrier has become compromised and your brain is highly susceptible to the immune rampages I discussed above.

Some people, instead of feeling relaxed, will find GABA makes them feel more anxious or jittery. There are other reasons for this that will be discussed in my next book, however any reaction at all indicates a leaky brain barrier.

If you felt no change after taking GABA, that is a good sign that your blood-brain barrier is intact and functioning well. (For accurate results, be sure to take this test during the day and not at bedtime.)

The supplement phenibut is gaba with something added to it to cross the blood brain barrier. Its quite strong and very sedating. When i tried it, it felt like it had a delayed reaction as it took along time to work, slept well but then woke up sedated for the whole day, felt like crap. This could have been dose related. I cant remember the exact dose but it may have been 1000mg and after an hour or so no response so took another 1000mg, may have been a third dose before i felt anything but when it hit, it hit. I have read about people being addicted to it or having withdrawal issues etc. So supplement companies selling this generally state to use know more then twice a week or something along those lines??

Generally to get gaba to work they need to add something to it to help it cross the BBB.

Has anyone experimented with L-Glutamine to help with anxiety problems?
I was given 1000mg for a 4 months period to help healing gut inflammation but I found it would usually trigger anxiety even though I read it's a GABA precursor.